So Doctor Who episode 6 didn't air this past weekend here in Canada or in the US. Our normal Tuesday episode review is being pre-empted by feelings of "how are we going to survive the wait until this weekend?" The answer is: Videos from Doctor Who fandom!
Doctor Who fan activity has been growing online and seems to be getting even busier with the arrival of the Eleventh Doctor. He's eccentric, he's adventurous, he's hilarious, and he wears a wool blazer that makes him look like an old professor trapped in a young man's body (Plaid is cool. We're just sayin'). With the growing popularity of the Eleventh Doctor as well as a plethora of super-creative fans online, there have been plenty of videos posted on YouTube to honour the new Doctor Who. Let's look at some of our favourites...
1) Doctor Who Opening - 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' Style
The
young cast (including Matt Smith, the youngest-ever actor to play the
Doctor) would fit right in with the Sunnydale gang, wouldn't they? This
fan creation is fun and action-packed goodness.
2) Doctor Who: 47 Years in 6 Minutes
This
video by the Fine Bros. breaks down each of the 11 Doctors (right from
day one in 1963) and they do it super-quickly in only 6 minutes! No easy
feat.
3) Lost Doctor Who Cold Open from Craig Ferguson Show
This was the much-talked about Doctor Who themed opening song-and-dance number from one of the most famous fans out there: Craig Ferguson. Unfortunately this didn't get to air on our television screens due to legalities involving the Doctor Who theme music. But somehow it found its way online... and we're glad it did! "The triumph of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism" is one of the best summaries of Doctor Who ever spoken (er, sung). An instant classic!
So what do you think, friends? Agree with our above choices? What other videos from Doctor Who fandom would you rank as your favourites? Let us know in the Comments! We'll see you this time next week with our review of Episode 6...
Tuesday, 31 May, 2011
Friday, 27 May, 2011
Customer E-mails: May 2011 Edition
This month we shine the spotlight on two customers who are rocking their fabric Stampede Duster coats! This anime-inspired long coat is one of the most complex and most awe-inspiring designs AbbyShot has to offer. And wow, does it ever look good in pictures ;)
First off, we had a US customer who sent in a great batch of photos in his Black Stampede Duster that we've scattered throughout this blog post. They say a picture speaks 1,000 words so he kept his email short and his pictures awesome!
This trenchcoat is AMAZING!
Thank you muchly,
- R Conlan, USA
Next up is a great in-depth email review from a fan in Australia who was also very impressed by his new Stampede Duster (his was the classic red fabric version):
I'd like to start by saying this coat is fantastic! Pictures cannot possibly do it any justice which is why I was so awe-stricken when I first took it out of the box. The material is much lighter and cooler than I thought it would be which is always a nice surprise, especially given the heat in Australia.
The quality construction of the coat also amazed me. I’ve seen Vash cosplay coats that imitate the face design of the garment as seen in Trigun, but the design stopped there. The AbbyShot coat is so much more than a mere cosplay piece, as it has such intricate depth to the design. The pockets are concealed amazingly well (I thought you forgot them at first :p) and the layers at the top really make the collar and shoulder aspects of the coat come to life, rather than the low quality cosplay coats that imitate the coat on face value only. This is a coat for daily use, and a darn fine one at that.
The AbbyShot staff themselves were another standout aspect during my purchase of this coat. To put it simply: Most. Obliging. People. Ever.

We get very erratic weather in Australia. A sunny day today can easily turn to a rainy day tomorrow, and I wanted a coat versatile enough to wear in any weather conditions. I asked the AbbyShot crew if removable sleeves were possible and, lo and behold, a purchase option for removable sleeves appeared on the order form the next day.
It’s this customer service that really makes me comfortable buying tailored clothes online. I know I’m getting top quality service and products, which is why I’d like to give a big thank you to everyone at AbbyShot. I couldn’t have had such a comfortable experience buying from anyone else.
Best. Company. EVER.
- Murray :]
Australia
Thanks so much, Murray - you are quite welcome! It's always a pleasure providing cool coats for fantastic people like yourself and Mr. Conlan! Big thanks to R Conlan for the awesome photos for this month's fabric Stampede Duster themed blog post!
Do you own an AbbyShot coat you haven't seen in a Customer E-mails Blog Post in a while? That just means we're waiting for your photos! E-mail your pics in anytime to 'info[at]abbyshot.com' and hopefully we'll see you here in the coming months!
First off, we had a US customer who sent in a great batch of photos in his Black Stampede Duster that we've scattered throughout this blog post. They say a picture speaks 1,000 words so he kept his email short and his pictures awesome!
This trenchcoat is AMAZING!
Thank you muchly,
- R Conlan, USA
Next up is a great in-depth email review from a fan in Australia who was also very impressed by his new Stampede Duster (his was the classic red fabric version):
I'd like to start by saying this coat is fantastic! Pictures cannot possibly do it any justice which is why I was so awe-stricken when I first took it out of the box. The material is much lighter and cooler than I thought it would be which is always a nice surprise, especially given the heat in Australia.
The quality construction of the coat also amazed me. I’ve seen Vash cosplay coats that imitate the face design of the garment as seen in Trigun, but the design stopped there. The AbbyShot coat is so much more than a mere cosplay piece, as it has such intricate depth to the design. The pockets are concealed amazingly well (I thought you forgot them at first :p) and the layers at the top really make the collar and shoulder aspects of the coat come to life, rather than the low quality cosplay coats that imitate the coat on face value only. This is a coat for daily use, and a darn fine one at that.
The AbbyShot staff themselves were another standout aspect during my purchase of this coat. To put it simply: Most. Obliging. People. Ever.
We get very erratic weather in Australia. A sunny day today can easily turn to a rainy day tomorrow, and I wanted a coat versatile enough to wear in any weather conditions. I asked the AbbyShot crew if removable sleeves were possible and, lo and behold, a purchase option for removable sleeves appeared on the order form the next day.
It’s this customer service that really makes me comfortable buying tailored clothes online. I know I’m getting top quality service and products, which is why I’d like to give a big thank you to everyone at AbbyShot. I couldn’t have had such a comfortable experience buying from anyone else.
Best. Company. EVER.
- Murray :]
Australia
Thanks so much, Murray - you are quite welcome! It's always a pleasure providing cool coats for fantastic people like yourself and Mr. Conlan! Big thanks to R Conlan for the awesome photos for this month's fabric Stampede Duster themed blog post!
Do you own an AbbyShot coat you haven't seen in a Customer E-mails Blog Post in a while? That just means we're waiting for your photos! E-mail your pics in anytime to 'info[at]abbyshot.com' and hopefully we'll see you here in the coming months!
Labels:
Customer E-mails,
stampede duster
Thursday, 26 May, 2011
AbbyShot Fashion Institute: What Makes Our Coats Different?
If you are the proud owner of an AbbyShot garment, you may already know all the reasons that our clothing is so highly regarded. We put pride and craftsmanship into everything we make, and it shows. If you have not yet delved into the world of AbbyShot, perhaps it's time you take a trip!
Our main goal is to make high quality, screen-accurate clothing that can be worn for everyday wear. An incredible amount of work goes into creating each new product. We spend months, sometimes even years, on research and development before the customer ever gets a glimpse of what's to come. It is a real joint effort between the AbbyShot Design Team and the input of fans in order to give customers what they want in any new design.
The key here at AbbyShot is to find a balance between fiction and reality. There are a lot of awesome costumes worn by characters in sci-fi, but they do not always translate easily into a wearable piece of clothing. Sometimes a fabric may look great on film, but may not wear or look as good in reality. In anime and video games, a designer or animator has the ability to create whatever styles they can imagine. But when it comes to making a coat inspired by the look of that character, seams might have to be added or other changes might have to be made for it to actually work on a human. Our AbbyShot Dante Coat, for example, has longer sleeves than you would see Dante wearing in the original video game. We did this to make our coat more wearable for everyday use: The sleeves can be either folded up or worn as full-length sleeves, depending on the look you desire.
When we design a coat, no detail is overlooked. We look very closely at every stitch, every button, and every other little detail that a lot of other companies may overlook. We also do not skimp on anything. If you have ever seen a Matrix inspired coat from another company, you may have noticed that some of them fit like tubes. In our Matrix inspired Lobby Trench we use a massive amount of fabric in the skirt part of the coat to allow it to billow properly when you walk. We also use a high-quality wool twill fabric to allow for maximum billowing.
We search the world over to find the right fabrics for our garments. Sometimes we even have to have a new fabric milled or dyed. Our team studies each colour and fibre in the fabric to ensure it matches as closely as possible to the original inspiration.
We have had a number of customers in the past come back to us many years later still happily wearing their AbbyShot coats on a day-to-day basis. You really do get what you pay for! Our coats are built to stand up against the wear and tear of time.
Our main goal is to make high quality, screen-accurate clothing that can be worn for everyday wear. An incredible amount of work goes into creating each new product. We spend months, sometimes even years, on research and development before the customer ever gets a glimpse of what's to come. It is a real joint effort between the AbbyShot Design Team and the input of fans in order to give customers what they want in any new design.
The key here at AbbyShot is to find a balance between fiction and reality. There are a lot of awesome costumes worn by characters in sci-fi, but they do not always translate easily into a wearable piece of clothing. Sometimes a fabric may look great on film, but may not wear or look as good in reality. In anime and video games, a designer or animator has the ability to create whatever styles they can imagine. But when it comes to making a coat inspired by the look of that character, seams might have to be added or other changes might have to be made for it to actually work on a human. Our AbbyShot Dante Coat, for example, has longer sleeves than you would see Dante wearing in the original video game. We did this to make our coat more wearable for everyday use: The sleeves can be either folded up or worn as full-length sleeves, depending on the look you desire.
When we design a coat, no detail is overlooked. We look very closely at every stitch, every button, and every other little detail that a lot of other companies may overlook. We also do not skimp on anything. If you have ever seen a Matrix inspired coat from another company, you may have noticed that some of them fit like tubes. In our Matrix inspired Lobby Trench we use a massive amount of fabric in the skirt part of the coat to allow it to billow properly when you walk. We also use a high-quality wool twill fabric to allow for maximum billowing.
We search the world over to find the right fabrics for our garments. Sometimes we even have to have a new fabric milled or dyed. Our team studies each colour and fibre in the fabric to ensure it matches as closely as possible to the original inspiration.
We have had a number of customers in the past come back to us many years later still happily wearing their AbbyShot coats on a day-to-day basis. You really do get what you pay for! Our coats are built to stand up against the wear and tear of time.
Wednesday, 25 May, 2011
The Wednesday Uplink: What Can This Image Mean?
>RUN DIRECTORY PROTOCOL: INSI.DIR v2.x
>BACKDOOR OPEN
>INITIALIZING CONNECTION...
>USERNAME: eon
>PASSWORD: *********
>WELCOME
>WELCOME
It seems I may have to do more sleuthing with regard to pleather as no one was able to help me with the clues I found last week. They were tough to decipher (even for AbbyShot), I must admit. I will keep you informed.
In the meantime my attempts to find out more about product development at AbbyShot HQ brought me to this picture which I found on a desktop.The colours are vaguely familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. The contrast looks great, and I can see a bit of stitching detail, but I can't quite envision the whole enchilada.
Red is a blood colour. It can connote passionate love and also violence and warfare.
Grey is more neutral, but can be a colour pertaining to intelligence, as in grey matter.
If you can shed light on the fabric in this picture, please feel free to do so here on the Blog, on Twitter or on the AbbyShot Facebook Page. Hopefully the clue I've uncovered for you this week won't be as difficult to solve as last week's.
Yours,
Eon
Labels:
AbbyShot,
clothing,
The Wednesday Uplink
Tuesday, 24 May, 2011
AbbyShot Reviews Doctor Who 6.5: The Rebel Flesh
The latest episode of Doctor Who made our skin crawl... so to speak! "The Rebel Flesh" was a very creepy installment of the show but also one that brought up many moral and ethical dilemmas. A delicate balance to be sure, but one that was pulled off quite well in our opinion.
Some have complained that the episode moved at too slow a pace but we found it quite effective to build tension as well as audience empathy with the new characters we meet. Of course, this is also the first part of a two-parter so it will certainly be easier to judge this story as a whole once the second part airs (we've heard that part 2 will be airing May 28th on BBC1 and June 4th on BBC America due to next weekend's Memorial Day holiday, just to give you the heads up!).
Our thoughts on this latest episode of Doctor Who are below but, as always, beware of the spoilers that await if you haven't seen the episode yet!
Some have complained that the episode moved at too slow a pace but we found it quite effective to build tension as well as audience empathy with the new characters we meet. Of course, this is also the first part of a two-parter so it will certainly be easier to judge this story as a whole once the second part airs (we've heard that part 2 will be airing May 28th on BBC1 and June 4th on BBC America due to next weekend's Memorial Day holiday, just to give you the heads up!).
Our thoughts on this latest episode of Doctor Who are below but, as always, beware of the spoilers that await if you haven't seen the episode yet!
- Was anyone else extremely creeped out by the overall look-and-feel of this episode? In terms of style it brought to mind The X-Files with lots of dark industrial hallways lit by flashlights and threatening beings hiding in the shadows.
- Speaking of sci-fi influences, we were also reminded of one of our favourite films, Blade Runner, in the scene where Rory was talking to Jennifer's ganger about her "memories". The ethical dilemma surrounding the replicants in Blade Runner is certainly not far from the plight of the gangers.
- Despite the dark tone of the episode, there was a bit of fun mixed in at the beginning of the episode. We always enjoy seeing a bit of day-to-day life aboard the TARDIS and the first shot of our heroes includes Amy and Rory playing darts and listening to Muse! Love it.
- During the aforementioned game of darts, the Eleventh Doctor was again scanning Amy and coming up with an inconclusive result on whether she really is pregnant. Later in the episode Amy runs across the mysterious lady with the eye-patch. Our excitement is really building on these unresolved plot threads!
- Big kudos to the Doctor Who make-up department for a superb job on the "unformed" gangers. Their white plasticine skin really got across the fear of having something replicating the way you look (without quite succeeding!).
- We really enjoyed Rory's large role in this episode. His caring and compassion made him the only one who could truly empathize with one of the gangers...
- ... though of course not everyone can be as compassionate as Rory! The scene where one of the gangers is killed was appropriately tense and well-done.
- The Doctor seems to know something about the future of "The Flesh"... would it go against his temporal "rules" to warn people about it (even just Amy and Rory)?
- Finally: The Ganger Doctor! How can they end the episode with that!?!
Labels:
doctor who,
Eleventh Doctor,
TV Reviews
Thursday, 19 May, 2011
AbbyShot Fashion Institute: The Prestige of Pleather
Pleather is a term used to describe synthetic leather made of
plastic. There are two different main categories of pleather: Polyurethane
pleather and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pleather. PVC is the inferior of
the two, as it does not breathe well and cannot be dry-cleaned. Also, it is
often very shiny in appearance. Polyurethane, on the other hand, is
breathable, washable and tends to have a long lifespan. It is also much more realistic looking, with some pleathers nearly indistinguishable from genuine leather.
There are those who will always prefer leather; they enjoy the way it smells, the way it feels, and the way it wears. There is also something in knowing that you are wearing the real deal. Pleather does have a lot of advantages though: It is lighter than leather, easy to care for, lasts almost as long as leather, and costs A LOT less. Pleather also does not have as many seams as leather. A long leather trench coat will often have a seam somewhere along the length of it, due to the limitations in size of the animal used. This is a good way to tell the difference when looking at a piece of clothing or furniture. Another major plus that pleather has it that it is vegan friendly. More and more people are now going the animal friendly route with their purchases. Pleather allows them to maintain their beliefs while still looking good.
Pleather has been around since the 1980's. In its early years, it was often looked upon in a derogatory way. It was seen as a cheap alternative to leather that looked scarcely like it. Pleather has come a long way over the past few decades. It is now a fixture is the spring lines of top fashion designers such as Gucci, Prada, FUBU, and Sean John.
Here at AbbyShot, we love to offer our customers a pleather option for a lot of our coats. In fact, we may be offering some more of our coats and jackets in pleather in the near future!
AbbyShot uses only high quality polyurethane pleather that is so close to the real thing that even we have trouble telling the difference! You can really do a lot with pleather now; for our new Dante Coat, for example, we offer a red pebbled pleather version. And of course some of our best selling coats, the Enigma and the Jenova Trench coats, are proudly made of pleather!
There are those who will always prefer leather; they enjoy the way it smells, the way it feels, and the way it wears. There is also something in knowing that you are wearing the real deal. Pleather does have a lot of advantages though: It is lighter than leather, easy to care for, lasts almost as long as leather, and costs A LOT less. Pleather also does not have as many seams as leather. A long leather trench coat will often have a seam somewhere along the length of it, due to the limitations in size of the animal used. This is a good way to tell the difference when looking at a piece of clothing or furniture. Another major plus that pleather has it that it is vegan friendly. More and more people are now going the animal friendly route with their purchases. Pleather allows them to maintain their beliefs while still looking good.
Pleather has been around since the 1980's. In its early years, it was often looked upon in a derogatory way. It was seen as a cheap alternative to leather that looked scarcely like it. Pleather has come a long way over the past few decades. It is now a fixture is the spring lines of top fashion designers such as Gucci, Prada, FUBU, and Sean John.
Here at AbbyShot, we love to offer our customers a pleather option for a lot of our coats. In fact, we may be offering some more of our coats and jackets in pleather in the near future!
AbbyShot uses only high quality polyurethane pleather that is so close to the real thing that even we have trouble telling the difference! You can really do a lot with pleather now; for our new Dante Coat, for example, we offer a red pebbled pleather version. And of course some of our best selling coats, the Enigma and the Jenova Trench coats, are proudly made of pleather!
Keep your eyes on our website to see what pleather items we will be releasing next!
Labels:
AbbyShot Fashion Institute,
dante,
devil may cry,
Enigma,
Final Fantasy,
Jenova,
leather,
pleather,
Sephiroth
Wednesday, 18 May, 2011
The Wednesday Uplink: Stints of Pleather Hints
>RUN DIRECTORY PROTOCOL: INSI.DIR v2.x
>BACKDOOR OPEN
>INITIALIZING CONNECTION...
>USERNAME: eon
>PASSWORD: *********
>WELCOME
>WELCOME
So, last week I mentioned the fact that AbbyShot is thinking of more choices for pleather. This week I made it my mission to find out what some of those articles may be. After sleuthing around, I think I managed to come up with only three clues, but I know they are up to something more than that.
Maybe you can help me out here on the Blog, on Twitter or on the AbbyShot Facebook Page. AbbyShot HQ is going to have to up their game, if they think these will keep us from guessing correctly!
Yours,
Eon
Labels:
AbbyShot,
cool coats,
pleather,
The Wednesday Uplink
Tuesday, 17 May, 2011
AbbyShot Reviews Doctor Who 6.4: The Doctor's Wife
This weekend's installment of Doctor Who was a highly anticipated episode that managed to surpass all expectations! Written by popular fantasy author Neil Gaiman, "The Doctor's Wife" was an episode that made even non-Who fans take notice. "If Neil Gaiman is writing for Doctor Who it must be cool, right?" That's right ;)
This episode depends greatly on surprise so if you haven't seen the episode yet then please do not read on! There are indeed spoilers below. You have been warned, brave time-and-space traveler...
So without further ado, let's jump into our observations on this gripping episode:
This episode depends greatly on surprise so if you haven't seen the episode yet then please do not read on! There are indeed spoilers below. You have been warned, brave time-and-space traveler...
So without further ado, let's jump into our observations on this gripping episode:
- The "junkyard" look-and-feel of the episode was a nod to the first ever episode of Doctor Who, 1963's "An Unearthly Child", where we meet the Doctor for the first time in a London junkyard on Totter's Lane.
- Did anyone else get a big Tim Burton feel from the cinematography and costume design of this episode? Or maybe it was just the 'patchwork' people? :)
- We find out early-on the significance of the episode's title and it makes so much sense we simply wondered: "Why didn't anyone else think of this before?!" The Doctor's 'Wife', his one-and-only true love, is the TARDIS. Absolutely.
- This episode serves as an interesting counterpoint to the previous pirate-themed episode where the TARDIS was compared to a seafaring vessel. Neil Gaiman reminds us: It's SO much more than that!
- However, like any respectable seafaring vessel, of course the TARDIS is going to be a woman! (And 'Sexy' at that ;)
- Suranne Jones gave an amazing performance as a woman filled with the energy of the TARDIS. Her flighty and hilarious nature, her trouble with time (and verb tenses!), and her overriding sense of adventure - all was note-perfect and really made her the 'perfect woman' for the Doctor.
- 'The House' was an extremely creepy and unsettling villain worthy of the mind of Neil Gaiman. Manipulating the nature of time inside the TARDIS to mess with Amy and Rory's heads... that is just plain evil.
- We return to the TARDIS corridors! We believe so but just to double-check: Is this the first time we've seen these corridors in 'nu-Who'?
- Anyone have the feeling that Neil Gaiman WANTED to go a bit 'darker' with the disturbing events in the TARDIS corridors? We're personally glad he reeled himself in; that was some distressing stuff!
- The final scenes with The Eleventh Doctor and Idris... just fantastic and heart-breaking all at the same time.
Labels:
doctor who,
Eleventh Doctor,
TV Reviews
Thursday, 12 May, 2011
AbbyShot Fashion Institute: Dusters
Dusters are long, loose-fitting coats that are typically made from
canvas or linen. They were originally worn by horsemen to protect their
clothing from riding dust. A distinguishing feature of a duster is that
they often have a slit up the back for ease of wear while on horseback.
Some dusters were even made from oilcloth or waxed cotton to better
protect against the rain. With the invention of the first gasoline-powered cars, in the late 1800's, came a new use for the duster. Men and women both wore them while riding along dirt roads in open motorcars.
In the 1960's Italian director Sergio Leone made the duster popular again with his use of it in the movies The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. This caused a revival of the duster in men's fashion in Paris. In the late 1980's, John Woo and other directors in the Heroic Bloodshed genre made the duster an essential part of any hero's wardrobe. Dusters can easily be confused with trench coats. The main difference is that dusters typically are longer, reaching nearly to the ankle. They are usually more boxy in shape then trench coats as well. Many classic dusters also have an extra layer of fabric that drapes around the shoulders and the back of the coat, known as the "cape". The look of the cape has become an accent piece on many modern long coats, for example, the shoulders of the Dante Coat certainly pay tribute to the look of the duster.
There is definitely a fine line when it comes to deciding which class some coats in. The original Matrix coat that Neo wears in the first film, for example: We (and many others) refer to it as a trench coat, but it is technically a duster. Some other famous duster-wearing characters include: Vash the Stampede from the anime series Trigun and Malcolm Reynolds from sci-fi western classics Firefly and Serenity. Each of these coats takes a different spin on the classic duster, but they still have the same cool duster edge.
Wednesday, 11 May, 2011
The Wednesday Uplink: Vegan Friendly.
>RUN DIRECTORY PROTOCOL: INSI.DIR v2.x
>BACKDOOR OPEN
>INITIALIZING CONNECTION...
>USERNAME: eon
>PASSWORD: *********
>WELCOME
>WELCOME
Around AbbyShot HQ there has been a lot of talk lately about vegans. Why, you might ask? No, it's not because Bacon Salt is vegan-friendly (one of the AbbyShot Team is REALLY into bacon); here's my theory:
Long before it was cool to be vegan, AbbyShot developed some of their popular long coats, such as the Enigma and the Jenova Trench coats, in pleather as a way to please some of their fans. Not only did this make vegan customers happy, for now they could wear more of AbbyShot's cool coats, but it also made the masses happy (particularly starving students) for there were now awesome coats which they could purchase for a lower price point.
I've been picking up more rumblings from the Design Team as of late with regard to pleather and what other products, both new and old, might be well suited to this medium. The range of colours and types of pleather has expanded a lot over the past few years (did you see the red pebbled pleather of the Dante Coat?) so it seems that the sky is the limit for AbbyShot pleather products.
Of course this is all very hush hush, but as you see more pleather goodness coming down the line you can remember that you heard it from me first. Of course, I would love to hear from you: What pleather products do you think would make good additions to the AbbyShot catalogue?
Here on the Blog. On Twitter. On the AbbyShot Facebook Page... I'm anywhere and everywhere, so DO keep in touch.
Yours,
Eon
Labels:
dante,
Enigma,
Jenova,
The Wednesday Uplink
Tuesday, 10 May, 2011
AbbyShot Reviews Doctor Who 6.3: The Curse of the Black Spot
Now that the big two-part premiere is over, Doctor Who gave us a fun standalone episode this past weekend. Wait, a fun PIRATE-themed standalone episode, let's not forget that important point!
So with that being said: Yarr matey, it be time to hoist the Jolly Roger, swill a mug of grog, grab your cutlass, and prepare for adventure! But beware in these waters, ya scurvy sea-dogs: There be mild spoilers ahead!
OK, OK, we'll cut the pirate-speak ;) On with our observations from the show!
So with that being said: Yarr matey, it be time to hoist the Jolly Roger, swill a mug of grog, grab your cutlass, and prepare for adventure! But beware in these waters, ya scurvy sea-dogs: There be mild spoilers ahead!
OK, OK, we'll cut the pirate-speak ;) On with our observations from the show!
- The Doctor saying "Yo ho ho" to a bunch of pirates = Gold.
- Rory is, shall we say, useless in a fight.
- Amy, on the other hand... she's been taking sword-fighting lessons from Xena Warrior Princess!
- Amy also "acquired" a pretty cool pirate's long coat and we of course have to commend her on her excellent taste in fashion!
- We loved the three-cornered hats as well, especially on the Doctor. The Eleventh Doctor is all about wearing interesting headgear, isn't he?
- The way the "Black Spot" appeared was clever, though we had to wonder if anyone doing a bit of paperwork on the ship gave themselves a very scary paper cut...
- The Captain had the right idea: Gloves!
- We enjoyed the many evolving theories of the Doctor in this episode: His thinking can't be 100% correct ALL the time (it's good to see that every now and then!).
- Great scene where the pirate captain compares the TARDIS to a boat on the sea. After all the complexities we see and hear about the TARDIS, it was a great reminder that, at the end of the day, this is still the Doctor's "ship".
- The Siren (and the explanation behind her) was quite clever as well! Even in the more "fun" episodes like this one, Doctor Who always gives the audience a lot to think about.
- Near the episode's end,where we learn the fate of the pirate captain, was anyone else reminded of space captain Malcolm Reynolds and his gallant crew on board Serenity... or was that just us? ;)
Labels:
doctor who,
Eleventh Doctor,
TV Reviews
Friday, 6 May, 2011
New Lower-Priced Shipping Method on AbbyShot.com!
North American fans: There's a brand new shipping method on AbbyShot.com and its sole purpose is to save you money! It's called the "UPS Standard Ground" method and it's perfect if you're buying a long coat or jacket in the US or Canada and you can wait a little extra to receive your order - you'll save a lot on the shipping cost!
UPS Standard Ground Shipping costs only $19.00 CAD anywhere in Canada or the United States for any type of AbbyShot coat. The shipping time for this method is normally 10-14 business days in transit. This low price even includes insurance and a tracking number, so it's a truly great deal!
Please Note: This new method and pricing only applies within North America (it is a Ground shipping method after all ;). Not to worry though, overseas friends, AbbyShot is still evaluating logistics solutions for you as well.
Also, please note that any packages we send outside of our home country of Canada may be subject to customs taxes/fees at the discretion of your local government, and these are the responsibility of the customer.
Final Note: The UPS truck delivering AbbyShot goodness to your door may not be exactly as pictured above! :)
UPS Standard Ground Shipping costs only $19.00 CAD anywhere in Canada or the United States for any type of AbbyShot coat. The shipping time for this method is normally 10-14 business days in transit. This low price even includes insurance and a tracking number, so it's a truly great deal!
Please Note: This new method and pricing only applies within North America (it is a Ground shipping method after all ;). Not to worry though, overseas friends, AbbyShot is still evaluating logistics solutions for you as well.
Also, please note that any packages we send outside of our home country of Canada may be subject to customs taxes/fees at the discretion of your local government, and these are the responsibility of the customer.
Final Note: The UPS truck delivering AbbyShot goodness to your door may not be exactly as pictured above! :)
Labels:
Shipping,
Special Events
Thursday, 5 May, 2011
AbbyShot Fashion Institute: The History of the Trench Coat
Trench coats date back over a hundred years. They were first designed for the soldiers of the World War One as a alternative to bulky serge greatcoats. The difference between the two is that a greatcoat is made of heavy wool and is designed for warmth and protection against harsh weather conditions, while the trench coat, on the other hand, is worn primarily as a windbreaker or as a rain coat. Both Burberry and Aquascutum claim to have invented the trench coat. Aquascutum's claim dates back to the 1850's, while Thomas Burberry submitted a design for an army officer's raincoat in 1901. We here at AbbyShot are just thankful that someone came up with the idea!
After World War Two, trench coats started to be worn by civilians for everyday wear. They hit their peak in the 1960's when Mods starting wearing as fashion pieces. It wasn't until the 1980's that trench coats took on the role that they are often associated with today. Heavy metal and Gothic rock crowds began wearing these coats as a sort of uniform.
Some of pop culture's most well-known characters have worn trench coats, with Dick Tracy being one of the first, dating all the way back to 1931. I guess you could argue however, that the Tenth Doctor wore his first. Depending on where in time and space he was. ;)
Casablanca would not have been the same without Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine in his trench coat and fedora. The list goes on and on: Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly and Serenity, Mulder and Scully from The X-Files, The Crow, Kevin Smith/Silent Bob, almost everyone in the Matrix, Clark Kent in Smallville, Dante from Devil May Cry, and way too many more to even list!

The trench coat is a staple piece of clothing. Yes, it has taken many different turns in style and colour over the years, but the basics stay the same. Trench coats are so diverse: You can dress them up or down, go classic or creepy, sleek or sloppy. Either way, a trench is a great way to show your style. What's your personal trench coat style?
Wednesday, 4 May, 2011
The Wednesday Uplink: Geronimo?
>RUN DIRECTORY PROTOCOL: INSI.DIR v2.x
>BACKDOOR OPEN
>INITIALIZING CONNECTION...
>USERNAME: eon
>PASSWORD: *********
>WELCOME
>WELCOME
There has been a lot of talk at AbbyShot HQ lately about the amount of social media which has surrounded the Eleventh Doctor. He is all over the 'net right now, from the Hipster Doctor page to an appearance at the Royal Wedding(!).
But have you noticed an Eleventh Doctor appearance on the AbbyShot website? As it turns out I was right on target in a recent blog post (which is no surprise to anyone of course) but then AbbyShot couldn't resist one-upping me yet again.
Bypassing me completely, they sent a teaser out to Newsletter subscribers and then Social Media fans earlier this week. Did you see it yet? It's a big one. It all comes down to two words:
(Be sure to click!)
Now that is cool, my friends. I'm sure an official announcement is coming soon, but it is quite nice to be "in the know" a little early, isn't it?
I just wish now that I was "in the know" first! To make up for my lack of early intel on this, I'll see what further info I can dig up here at the Eleventh Hour (see what I did there?).
As always, comment here on the Blog, on Twitter, or on the AbbyShot Facebook Page to let me know what you want to see. Now back to work constructing my TARDIS. I'll see you next Wednesday... or maybe LAST Wednesday, we'll see how this TARDIS turns out!
Yours,
Eon
Labels:
doctor who,
Eleventh Doctor,
The Wednesday Uplink
Tuesday, 3 May, 2011
AbbyShot Reviews Doctor Who 6.2: Day of the Moon
Now that was a fast-moving hour of TV! This past weekend brought us the conclusion of the two-part Doctor Who Series 6 premiere and, quite frankly, we barely took a breath for the hour the show was on! In a similar vein, let's jump right into the action and discuss our observations about this new hour of Doctor Who. Please beware however: Spoilers below if you haven't seen the episode yet!
AbbyShot's thoughts on episode # 2...
So what did you think of "Day of the Moon"? Any other points of interest to add? Feel free to comment away below!
AbbyShot's thoughts on episode # 2...
- Three Months Later?! The episode begins in a rather unorthodox fashion after last week's cliffhanger: We catch up with our heroes a full quarter-of-a-year after Amy's "shooting" incident that ended the previous episode.
- Some complained about the aforementioned time-jump, though we thought it was a great bit of storytelling. "Why was the Doctor captured and why were the companions on the run?" Safe to assume they were poking their noses where they shouldn't have been and their mission was SO top secret that even Canton and Nixon couldn't 'seem' like they knew what was going on....
- ...Hence the insanely complex no-sound-in-or-out prison for the captured Doctor (President Nixon's budget must have had quite the surplus that year ;)
- Speaking of the captured Doctor, he DID look quite down-and-out in a straight-jacket, sporting a very scraggly beard. NOW we know why the Doctor doesn't try to grow facial hair!
- The Eleventh Doctor's companions show us a new must-have item for any Doctor Who cosplayer: A permanent marker! The Silence are everywhere... though why you'd keep a tally chart on your own face we're not too sure of (we're looking at you, Amy Pond...).
- Along these same lines, the voice recorder implant in the hand was an ingenious story-telling device. We call it "Scariest. Voicemail. Ever." When did that light in my palm start flashing?!
- Really enjoyed The Doctor's gallivanting around with Nixon in the mid-point of the episode. And boy, does Rory ever look good in '60s horn-rimmed glasses.
- Our favourite line of the episode is from this sequence as well: The Doctor, after messing with the insides of Apollo 11, finishes his work while still holding a handful of circuitry: "There's always a bit left over."
- Meanwhile, Amy and Canton were in much darker territory in a creepy orphanage. Very cool sequence where Canton finally realizes HOW the Silence can be stopped! But the orphanage also left many unanswered questions...
- Who was that one-eyed lady who talked to Amy in the orphanage?
- Why was there a photo of Amy holding a baby in that room?
- How did the Silence transport Amy out of the room, and was it the first time they've done such an abduction?
- How did the Silence know of the importance of the little girl (perhaps related to the question above)?
- Very ingenious climax to this episode as the Doctor REALLY takes advantage of the power of mass media.
- The Doctor and River's first/last kiss: An instant classic moment in Doctor Who history. Steven Moffat knows how to use time-travel wisely in his stories and this was no exception!
- Finally: That last scene with the young girl! What IS going on? The mind reels...
So what did you think of "Day of the Moon"? Any other points of interest to add? Feel free to comment away below!
Labels:
doctor who,
Eleventh Doctor
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